March 9, 2012
K-State, Johnson County Community College team up to provide new educational option with reverse transfer agreement
Submitted by Communications and Marketing
Kansas State University and Johnson County Community College are making it easier for students to transfer credit hours earned at the university toward completion of their community college degree.
K-State President Kirk Schulz and Johnson County Community College President Terry Calaway signed a reverse transfer agreement between the two schools at a ceremony March 8 at the community college.
The agreement will allow credits earned at K-State to transfer toward an unfinished associate degree at Johnson County Community College.
"Increasing access to higher education for all Kansans is a vital part of K-State's 2025 plan, and this reverse transfer partnership with Johnson County Community College advances our visionary plan by providing a new opportunity for students to achieve even more with their educational goals," Schulz said.
Under the agreement students enrolled at K-State who previously attended Johnson County Community College, or who are currently enrolled at the community college, meet its resident credit requirement and are able to transfer a minimum of 45 credit hours to K-State, will be eligible for reverse transfer credit to facilitate their degree completion from the state's largest community college. The agreement takes effect this semester.
The agreement gives qualified students added flexibility and convenience in their degree options, said Pat Bosco, vice president for student life and dean of students at K-State.
"More K-State students -- 3,620 this semester -- call Johnson County home than any other Kansas county," Bosco said. "Many of these students have taken courses at Johnson County Community College, so we wanted to provide them the option of obtaining their associate degree. We think this is a way to reward students and both institutions for making higher education seamless."
K-State already makes it easy for students attending Johnson County to turn their associate degrees in business administration, food and beverage management, and hotel and lodging management into bachelor's degrees in general business administration, food science and industry, and technology management through 2+2 agreements between the two schools. Students are able to take courses for two years at the community college and then finish the remaining two years of course work through online courses offered through K-State's distance education programs.